Means and method for moving large buildings



Aug. 6, 192,9. G. R. KRL-:ss 1,723,358

MEANS AND METHOD FOR MOVING LARGE BUILDINGS AFiled March-19I 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l zz ze 2/ 75 F11/91, 24 1.a

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I 65e/265B. /fesss' Aug. 6, 1929. G. R, KREss MEANS AND METHOD FOR` MOVING LARGE` BUILDINGS Filed March 19, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet BJfefs Grroemsv Aug. 6, 1929. G, R KRESS 1,723,358

MEANS AND METHOD FOR MOVING LARGE BUILDTNGS Filed March 19, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet C5 .2,5 @scese /f/eess @uM/4MM Grrozlvsv Patented Aug. 6, 1929,

PATENT OFFICE.'

GEoEsE n. KREss, 0E Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MEANS AND METHOD FOR MOVING LARGE BUILDINGS.

Application filed rMarch 19, 1929. Serial No. 348,194.

This in veiition relates to the art of moving buildings, and is directed particularly to a novel method for moving large building' structures which are several stories in height andiin which the weight of the building is supported by a plurality of load members, such as columns. Such buildings will, for the purpose of deiining this invention, be hereinafter referred to as column supporting building structures.

It is frequently necessary during street improvements in large cities where the street is being widened, to move the building front several feet back from its original position. This can be readily accon'iplished in small buildings where the weight of the bijiilding is .supported by a side foundation, by elevating the building a sufficient distance to `get movable supports, in the form of rolling members, between the side walls of the building and the foundation, and after supporting' the building in this manner moving the saine bodily to the desired position.

Business buildings are, however, generally constructed to cover completely the lot upon which they are built, and under such conditions it is necessary either to completely tear down the front of the building, reconstructing the same at the desired position, or to iiiove the front of the building rearwardly in a manner such is disclosed in my cepending application, Serial No. 3"9,025, tiled -February ll, i929.

The i'xiethod last for use in biiiidings over three or four stories in height, where the major portion of the building is supported by columns and in which the movement of a single wall of considerable height would be a hazardous undertaking. The operation of setting in rlarge building fronts of this character has heretofore been carried out by tearing down the building front and constructing a new front in the desired position. Such an operation 'is obviously very cos 3,', diie 'to the tiiiic consumed :ind also in view of the fact that the fronts of such build ingsare generally made of tine-r material than the side walls,

Large buildings of this lcharacter are orijli'uarily provided with light wells at an intermediate point, so vthat the front of the buildin en'ibodies a great deal more material than is embodied in such buildings at a point occupied by the light well.

Tt is prii'iiary obj't of this invention to referred to is not adapted s rbecause floor elevations must be produce a process for moving large building structures away from the street front, wherein an intermediate portion of the building is removed and the entii'e front sect-ion is moved buildings in connection with which this proeess is particularly adapted for use consists of structures in which the building load is car-- ried by a plurality of columns resting upon the earth and positioned in a manner such that the entire weight of the building, with the exception perhaps of the first two stories which are carried by the side walls, is supported by these columns. It will be apparent that if a building of this character were simply placed upon movable supports and moved bodily to a new position where the yreii'iovable supports were replaced with permanent supports resting upon the earth, that the earth would naturally tend to settle a certain amount; and where such a buildin g structure was attached to a siniil ar structure which had been settling with the earth. for several years, the settlement of the newly moved portion would result in a distortion of the building. Sections so moved cannot be left in au elevated position to anticipate any settlement, properly joined at time of moving.

It is therefore important in carrying out a process of this character to provide a new foundation for the building which. will obviate the possibility of the settling elifect nientioned above. This is accomplished in my invention by placing a permanent reinforced mat or Hoor below the building which covers the entire area over which the building is to be moved.

It is a noteworthy feature of the invention that the reinforcements in the 'floor extend transversely relative to thel direction in which uinns m .J be finally positioned above a fault or above seca led green or unsettled soil.

A general method 'which may be employe in carrying out my invention consists et removing` an intermediate section et the building' and excavating` the earth belov.'Y and around the columns supporting lthat part ot the 'building' which is to be moved, at the same time placing' fixed temporary supports beneath the bases ot such columns. rlhe lined temporary supports used consist ot suitable jacks which are placed beneath the column in a step by step manner during the excavation et the earth.

During' the process of exea *ating and placing* the jaclrs beneath the Columns, a reinforced concerete floor oit suitable thickness and strength is vlaid upon the excavated area, and is gradually Worked into the area. immediately belenr the column bases.

During' this operation, as the floor sets, the Weight ol the columns is transmitted throuo'h jaclrs onto the o tloor itself until beneath the columns ias been compy moved. At this stage et the process tire Weight et the building' is supporter by a plurality ot acls which rest upon the rein forced concrete floor or mat.

rllie jacks are then replaced vvitli what may be termed temporary movable supports in the term or" beams vwhich entend parallel with the direction in which the buit" structure is to be moved, suoli beams beine` supported by suitable meta-l rolle At the end et this operation, the vveig'ht ot the building structure is carried by a inurality oi inevable supports which in turn are supported by the concrete floor.

rlhe building structure is then moved in any preferred manner, suoli as by means ot a pluralityot angularly positioned aclrs into the desired position, after which the temporary movable supports replaced Willi what may be termed per'l ianent supports Whicl are preferably in the torn t a plurality ot interlocking beai'i pos oned be- As neatli the column bases. fitter underpinningthe building' onto the soillel 'Lorman-ent supports. a iilling material such as concrete is placed in and about the supports guard against the possibility et slippage ot the buildingI structure upon its new foundation.

It is a notevvorlnT feature ot the. inven tion that the movable supports ivhitii the columns during` the movement building are of a torni such that tl be extendedbelow die Walls of the liulri forming a cantilever beam .vliieli suppe..

the Walls during the moving operation.

The manner ot practicing a pi'elerred method contemplated by my in entio il have found to be most Yla-.ctory in the practice ot my invention.

Fin'. l is a diagrammatic plan view of a illustrated' in Figs. 2 to 9, inclusive.

i8 is an elevational view illustrating a building structure which is supported prior to movement.

19 is a sectional elevation the manner in which the building' pported after it has been moved to it.' dial position.

Fig'.

be considered as having illustrating is .1 i

20 is a sectional elevation vfliicli may been taken substantially in a plane represented by the line QO-QO in Fig'. 19.

More particularly describing the invention as herein illustrated, reference numerzl ZO 'iidicates a buildino', a front section 2l ot which is to be moved.

The building' Q0 may be generally described a rear Wall Q3,

as embodying' a trent Weil aud side vralls 2l and 2i respectively.

The building' is illustrated as being provided vith a 'ilimitv ot 'oiui ns generally l L e v indicated by refer en:e numeral Which carry the entire Wein' it ot the ouildiiig vil` the exception, p vrl aps, ot the first tivo stories, which are supported by the vvalls QL, 23, 2l

and 2e.

The bui building which is occupied by the The removed section is general in Fig. l by reference nu'fnegai trout section 2l is i ustrated .i sip ported by i ot temiliorary movable supportino` means 28 which ai' positionecL bei i. t

trie columns 25. 'l1 lirst step in carrying out my invention incliu` es the strapping and bracing ot the columns to prevent the possibility of rela ive transv inorement between the colmi-'ins during' the Xcavation ot' the earth anc the ,.1 L v 1,1 b. 'v if, 1, .1 simsenuenY moving c rie ruining. buoi strapil and bra inn' construction illuso trated a g coniprishg horizontal braces ZC ari-.l dn goual braces 25)', which are positioned betvveen adjacent columns ld tie rods 30 also s' oned laetueen adjacent columns and proa rnbuclrle 3l tor drawing` the tion. 'er the columns have been braced in this manner, the earth in the alleys between the is e-; 'avated to a substantie distance belowthe bottom of the columns, as indicated in 2 and l0. This excavation is carried a slight distance beneath the inner edges of the column bases, the distance to which such excavation is carried being sulficient to admit the placement of retaining walls 36 below the columns and in contact with the earth which remains thereunder.

Rows of jacks indicated by reference numeral 37 are positioned against the retaining walls 36 upon purlin members 38 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10.

It will be noted from Fig. l() that the purlin members 3S are positioned in a manner such that their outer surfaces o9 are set a substantial distance beneath the lower face 40 of the column base, this distance being substantially the width necessary to support another row of jacks, will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figs. 3 and 1l illust-rate the manner in which apart of the concrete mat or floor is positioned in the alleys between the columns and below the inner' edges of the rows of col` unms.

lt will be noted that the mat section 4l is provided with longitudinally extending reinforcements 42, which are preferably in the form of steel beams or rails, and it is also to be understood that these reinforcements preferably extend transversely relative to the direction in which the building is to be moved. The purlin members 38, it will be observed, comprise forms for the outer edges of the mat section 4l.

After the construction. has been carried to the point illustrated in Figs. 3 and 1l, the mat section 4l is permitted to set and harden, it being understood that a similar operation may be carried out in another part of the building ywhile the prepared section is setting.

After the mat section 4l has set sufliciently to support a substantial weight, a row of r jacks indicated by reference numeral 44 is interposed between the outer edge of the column base and the outer edge of the mat section 4l.

After the column has been supported in this manner, the unit is ready for another excavation step which is preferably carried out on sides of the columns which are opposite to the mat section 4l. Such excavation step is similar to that described in connection with Figs. Q and l0. and a. similar set of jacks and purlin members indicated by reference numerals 45 and 46 respectively, and form n'icrnbers 47. are positioned beneath what may be termed the outer edges of the column bases.

The mat sections 4S and 49 are th n placed in the outer alleys, as describerfl above, in connection with F'r 3 and ll. and after Ythe mat sections 4S and 49 have set and ha rden ed7 the outer rows of jacks indicated by'reference numerals and 5l are interposed between the outer edges of the column bases an d the mat sections 48 and 49 inthe manner illustrated in Figs. 5 and 13.

When the columns have been supported in this manner, an inner row of jacks such as the row indicated by reference numeral 45 is removed. This admits the removal of the purlin members 46 and the form members 47 after which the excavation of the material beneath the columns is carried inwardly a suilicient distance to permit the extension of the mat members 48 and 49 beneath the column a sumcient distance to support another row of jacks in a manner illustrated in Figs. 6 and 14. This step by step excavation process followed by the placement of extensions on the mat members and cooperating' rows of aclrs is carried on until all of the columns are completely supported by jacks resting upon a reinforced mat 01 floor which covers the entire surface over which the buiding is to be moved.

After the columns are supported in this manner as indicated in Figs. 7 and l57-the jacks `generally indicated by reference numeral G0 are replaced in a step by step manner with what may be termed movable temporary supports each of which is in the form of a plurality of beam sections extending parallel with the direction in whiclrtlie `building is to be moved and generally indicated by reference numeral 28.

The construction of this movable support is perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 18 as comprising a plurality of interconnecting I- beams 6l connected by means of plates 62 and resting upon horizontal plates 63.

A plurality of roller members 64 are positioned beneath the horizontal plates 63 and are adapted to rest upon longitudinally extending rails 65.

It will be noted that the rails 65 and the beams 6l extend substantially at right angles to the permanent reinforcements in the mat ror floor. Fig. 18 also illustrates the manner in which the movable supporting beams 6l extend outwardly beneath a front wall 22 forming a cantilever support for this wall.

The manner in which the temporary movablesupporting members are positioned beneath the'colmnns perhaps best illustrated in Figs. S and l@ and 9 and l' respectively. I consider' it preferable in positioning these members to iirstr remove a sui'licient number of jacks from the 'center portion of the column base and to substitute therefor a set of rails 65 and supporting rollers (S4- lwhich in turn carry plates G3 upon which the beams Gl are mounted.

This process of substituting the removable members for the jacks or temporary .fixed supports is carried out until the' columns are completely supported by the temporal-y movable supports in the manner indicated in Figs. 9 and 17. It will be understood, of course, that the number of these supporting,` members is dependent entirely upon the column base area and the concentrated load which the columns carry, but spaces must be left between the movable supports which Will permita subsequent insertion of jacks for substitutingI a permanent supporting structure for the temporary movable supports, as Will be hereinafter pointed out.

After the movable members have been placed beneath the columns, l consider it preferable to drive a series of Wedges between the bottom surfaces of the column bases and the upper surfaces of the beam members. Thus the beam members are held in firmengagement between the column base and the plates carried by the rollers.

After the building` has been supported in this manner, ther construction assumes the appearance illustrated in Fig. 1S, and is ready to be moved.

Movement may be imparted to the building structure in any suitable manner, such as by positioning a series of jacks between the outer ends 72 of the beams 61 and suitable base members 73 positioned outside of the building'. This construction may be used to move the building the required distance which, in the case illustrated, would be to a point at Which the tivo broken edges 7 8 and 73 of the side Walls 24 and 2d are brought substantially into engagement with each other.

After the buildinghas been moved to this point, the temporary movable supports 28 are replaced with a permanent supporting structure illustrated in Figs. 19 and 20 as comprising a series of interlocking -beams 7 5. The operation of replacing the temporary support with the I-beams 75 is similar to that described for the original positioning` of the temporary sup sorts. rEhe temperorary supports may rst be replaced With aclts, which are then replaced in a step by step manner with the I-beams 75 which, in turn, are locked with each other by means of tie bolts 76, the I-beams 7 5 being held in spaced relation by means of spacers indicated by reference num rals 77.

After all of the columns have been positioned upon the I-beams 7 5, the space about the I-beams and the intermediate spaces bet-vveen the I-beams is lilled with Aconcrete for the purpose of preventing,l the possibility of any transverse movement of the I-beams While the buildingl is resting thereon.

It Will be understood, of course, that the depth or thickness of the mat or floor 41 is governed by the concentrated load Which it carries, and, as has been previously pointed out, the floor is longitudinally reinlorced in a manner such that it is impossible for the building to settle after it has been placed in final position. The position of the upper .sur-

face of the floor and the Width of the I-beams 75 is such that the upper surface of the I- beams 75 is in the same plane with the original position of the lower surface of the column bases, so that after the building has been moved to its i'inal position, the floors therein are on the same horizontal plane With the lioors on the unmoved port-ion Which is supported by the columns indicated by reference numeral Q5 in Fig. 19.

After the concrete filling' 7 S has set and hardened, the space about the column bases may be filled With earth up to the original level as indicated by reference numeral 79 in Fig. 19.

From the foregoing description, it Will be apparent that this invention embodies a process for shortening or moving large building structures Which may be carried out Without danger to the Workmen affecting the moving operation.

rlhe permanent longitudinal reinforced mat which covers the entire area over which the buildingis moved provides a support which obviates the possibility of the building cracking` during movement or settling after it has been placed in a permanent position.

It is preferable that the reinforcements in the mat extend substantially at right angles with the permanent supporting beams Which are interposed between the column bases and the upper surface of the mat, so that there is an interlacing reinforced support for the entire building which prevent-s the possibility of any transverse movement in the column bases due to any inequalities in the distribution of the load to the mat or floor structure.

lt Will be understood that, While I have herein described and illustrated one preferred means for effecting my process and described a preferred manner for movingr a building structure by this process, it is not limited to the precise sequence of operations set fort-h above, but includes Within its scope Whatever changes or substitutions that may fairly come Within the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method for moving a column supported building structure which includes: excavating' beneath the columns; placing a permanent horizontally extending' mat structure beneath said columns; intcrpusingv temporary movable supports between said columns and said mat; moving the building` structure on said temporary supports to a predetermined position above said mat structure; and substitutingpermanent supports for said temporary supports.

Q. A method for moving a column supported building` structure which includes: excavatingbeneath the columns; placing a permanent horizontally extending mat structure l Si) beneath said columns; interposing temporary movable supports between said columns and said mat; moving the building structure on said temporary supports to a predetermined position above said mat structure; substituting permanent supports for said temporary supports; and placing a filling material above said mat and about said permanent supports.

8. A method for moving a building strucy ture which includes: placing a permanent floor below the building structure which covers the entire area over which the building structure is to be movec; interposing movable supports between the load carrying members of the building structure and said permanent floor; moving said building structure on said temporary supports to a predetermined point; and substituting permanent supports for said temporary supports.

l. A method for moving a building struc-` ture which includes: placingfa horizontal reinforced concrete floor below the building structure which covers the entire area over which the building structure is to be moved, the reinforcements in said floor extending transversely of the direction in which the building is to be moved; interposing temporary movable supports between the load carrying members of said building structure and said floor; moving said building structure on said temporary supports to a predeterm mined point; and substituting permanent supports for said temporary supports.

5. A .method for moving a building structure which includes: placing a horizontal reinforced concrete iioor below the building structure which covers the entire area over which the building` structure is to be moved7 the reinforcements in said floor extending transversely of the direction in which the building is to be moved; interposing tem" porary movable supports between the load carrying members of said building structure and said floor, said movable supports extending parallel with the direction in which the building is to be moved; moving said building structure on said temporary supports to a predetermined point; and substituting permanent supports for said tempon ary supports.

6. A method for moving a building structure which includes: placing a horizontal reinforced concrete floor below the ybuilding structure which covers the entire area over which the building structure is to-be moved, the reinforcements in said floor extending transversely of the direction in which the building is to be moved; interposing tempoi-ary movable supports between the load carrying members of said building structure and said floor; moving said building structure on said temporary supports to a predetermined point; substituting permanent supports for said temporary supports, and lilling in about said permanent supports with concrete.

7. A method for moving building structures in which the building` structure as a unit is moved bodily on a. substantially solid mat covering the entire area over 'which the lfuilding'is moved. i

8. A method for moving building structures in which the building structure is finally supported in a moved position upon a substantially solid mat covering the entire area over which the building was moved.

9. A method for shortening buildings which includes: removing an intermediate .section of the building; placing a substan- Yially solid mat beneath one of the remaining sections of tie building; placing temporary movable supports between the .load carrying members of one of said last mentioned sections a-nd said mat; moving the inovably supported section of the building to a predeter mined position; and replacing the temporary movable supports with permanent supports.

l0. F or use in moving column supported building structure: a continuous mat below all of the columns in said building structure; rolling means above said mat and column supporting members interposed between the lower surfaces of said columns and said rolling means.

ll. For use in moving a column supported building structure: continuous mat below all of the columns in said building structure; rails on said mat extending parallel with the direction in which the building is to be moved; rollers on said rails; and column supporting members interposed between the column bases and said rollers.

In testimony whereof7 I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles; California, this 20th day of March; 1929.

Geenen n. neuss. 

